Words for a Mindful Moment with the Breath
I’ve been thinking about gratitude a lot lately. This passage comes from Brene Brown’s research on wholehearted people, from her book The Gifts of Imperfection:
“Without exception, every person I interviewed who described living a joyful life or who described themselves as joyful, actively practiced gratitude and attributed their joyfulness to their gratitude practice. Both joy and gratitude were described as spiritual practices that were bound to a belief in human interconnectedness and a power greater than us….
Joy is not a constant. It comes to us in moments – often ordinary moments. Sometimes we miss out on the bursts of joy because we’re too busy chasing down extraordinary moments…. I’m so inspired by the daily doses of joy that happen in those ordinary moments, like walking my kids home from school, jumping on the trampoline, and sharing family meals. Acknowledging that these moments are really what life is about has changed my outlook on work, family, and success.”
Do you have a gratitude practice?
Gratitude: The Smile File
My “Smile File” is integral to my gratitude practice. Here’s what made me smile and brought me joy this past week. I am so grateful.
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On Wednesday I finished my fifteenth (!) year of teaching high school Social Studies. I am grateful to teach in a wonderful school, with amazing colleagues, and brilliant students. While my husband merely got a plastic coffee mug for 15 years in his district, I received this blanket. A small gesture, obviously, but I am appreciative of the recognition!
It’s even more heartwarming when students, on their own, write me thank you notes about what they liked about my class. My original Smile File was created to keep these amazing mementos of the impact of my teaching. One of the teachers speaking at our final breakfast to honor retirees last week stated, “We have the best job in the world!” I couldn’t agree more.
{Two of the notes I received last week}
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We celebrated my son’s fourth birthday yesterday. I was grateful to host grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins for an awesome Superhero party. I love that so much of my family lives close by, and that my children get to spend so much time with their cousins and extended family.
The Superhero Strike-a-Pose Dance!
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Soccer practices started last week. While I am much more “dance mom” than “soccer mom,” I love watching my daughter play soccer. It is her favorite sport, she plays it with passion, and strives to do her best. It makes me so proud to watch her. I am especially grateful for the parents who volunteer their time and expertise to coach our kids!
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What made YOU smile this week? What are you grateful for?
Have a fantastic week!
Namaste ~
Sarah
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